Baan's last rites for the FFA

On the Olympic theme, would Baan have offered any thoughts to the FFA? That is, is the role of the Olympics going to be used for Publicity and Marketing ... or should it be used for grooming future Socceroos, including home grown coaches? Thoughts...? Graciously, The Bear

MC U 23 player can be 17 years old or younger and are often are under 20, its no real different to having a first and second team accept its on a international scale. Kool played for the Socceroos at 17, but most Socceroos are picked from closer to mid 20's ........... In football the system works.

Michael C The players at the youth league gives them an opportunity to have regular match game instead of sitting in the bench for the senior team. Also they are not restricted to play in the "age" competition. They could perform well and be selected for the Senior team. If that doesn't happen then at the end of the youth league the players then return to the State Leagues and play in a League that is not age restricted.

MC That reserves trophy is called an OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL. Not too shabby. The NYL serves 2 purposes; 1. to introduce and develop potential future players into a professional setting as well as allowing them to play against the best other youth players in the country 2. allows limited numbers of first team players some game time on the road to recovery from injury or return to form which previously they had none. Each club can determine how they want to use the NYL and how many of the older players will participate (3 max per game) The age restrictions are reasonable as players need to develop physically as well as mentally before being thrown into games vs some full time professionals. It is the first nationwide Youth League and is very expensive to run. It is also the first year and no doubt some adjustments will be made in coming years.

one thing - Australia often has 'boys' and 'girls' do well at the tennis 'open' 'boys' and 'girls' finals............but where are they 4 years later? The reality, is most the real decent competition is already in the full open draw/circuit at this time - - - - playing too much 'age' competition can be a hinderance - that is no way to develop elite and international talent. That's why I still wonder about the who Olyroos thing - - all that does in my mind is a bit of experience at travel and the like for an effective 'reserves' squad........but to come out crowing too much about winning a 'reserves' trophy can ring a bit hollow.

I think there are some rules about the NYL which are designed to ensure players are not precluded from continuing in education or employment. I think that transferrring elite development from the AIS to club and state based would increase the likelihood of players continuing thier education. Given the low strike rate of conversion from elite junior to elite senior it is essential that education and work training should be mandated for players involved in NYL.

md also, using the AFL example again, before they get drafted, most of the them are playing in the U18 comp, which is an elite comp as far as the AFL goes - so they 16 and 17 while playing in this comp. And I would have seen the NYL as being an elite comp for 17-18s as well - but if the majority are 20+, I think the idea becomes less useful. Bottom-line: you want your elite kids together as early as possible (16-17 years), and then you want them tasting senior football as early as possible (17-18 years).

md fair enough - you are right about the AFL minimum age for being drafted, which will mean that some will start pre-season training with their new club just as they are sitting their HSC. But back to the NYL - surely a 16 year old should be able to play in the NYL?? They aren't pro yet, and it shouldn't impact on their education too much (although Vinnie Grella might disagree!)

Pips, As I understand the AFL, you have to be 17 before 1 May of the year that you are drafted. There is a difference between a kid who is about to finish school having a club to go to as a pro the next year, and being pulled out at 16 and sent to train football full time. I'm in favour of the former (which I understand to be the AFL system) but not the latter. Cheers md.

Pipp check it out, Ben K is not too young to play in the A league as he has done with some acclaim, but is too young to play in the NYL. As my 8yo says "what the..." Vincentin, I agree but I would prefer that learning occurred at the world u17's not Asia's u16's. It just shows how far we have to go.

Mick of Newie, with regards the U16s getting eliminated it is only a worry if they didn't learn anything in the process. As disappointed as they no doubt will be, if they go on to be better players as a result - as a result of being exposed to better opposition, players with better technique or tactical nous etc it can be a very positive experience. It is now about the hard work (read intelligence) the players and the coaching staff put in that will determine whether they go on to something down the track. The younger age group competitions should always be seen as development opportunities and not just about the win - aren't England for instance traditionally strong in competitions up to about 15-16 but then fall away? On the subject of education I always admired the Germans who insisted that their players pursued tertiary education of some form or other - Lothar Matheus is apparentely a interior designer. Perfectly valid occupation but i just can't image an interior makeover in the style of ....

md You are incorrect there. In the AFL, kids are drafted at the ages of 17-18 and they're training immediately withi the big boys, many debut as 18 year olds, some become permanent fixtures immediately from the age of 18, e.g. Judd, Cooney, Sewell - and then the list of kids who debuted at the age of 16 or even younger are legendary: Harvey, Watson, etc. I've always been of the opinion that the A-League should be replicating this, i.e. having the best 17 and 18 year olds in their ranks, and getting some game time as soon as is possible - we have seen it already - but there should be more of it. Your point about education is well made - footy clubs these days are quite good at ensuring kids continue with their education, be that finishing Year 12 or commencing Uni degrees. Mick of Newie is that correct that someone can be deemed too YOUNG for a youth league?! That sounds arse about to me!

I think there is a problem with pulling kids out of the school system and putting them in a professional footballing environment. No other football code does it. Possibly the only other comparable sport is swimming, where kids start at at 15 or 16 years old, but that is generally done in a school or local club environment, not against the background of national mega-clubs. Cheers md.

Pipp I agree on the NYL. It is too old. An example. Tarek Elrich in his 4th season of A league is still eligible and he is 21. Meanwhile Ben Kantourovski can't play in it because he is too young. My suspicion is that FFA decided with 2 expansion clubs the NYL could be used to get lots of state league younger players together so they get a year of preparation before the best of them go to gold coast, North Qld or back fill other A league sides. I'm hoping next season it goes back to at least under 19's. Bit of a worry from a development point of view for our under 16's getting eliminated for Asian champs at quarter finals. They are our next 4 to 8 years. Doesn't bode well.

Sure perhaps the cattle wasn't there as Baan seems to However it is suspicious that the style of football the olyroos played under Baan deteriorate when Arnold took over (I'm not just talking about the olympics but the qualifiers as well). It is no secret that in training sessions that Arnold wanted the side to become more direct then Rob Baans team. Lots of report of him telling Milligan off for playing from the back and specifically told him to kick it long. Anyway about the NYL Apparently Baan has the authority to intervene if the club are playing a style of football not conducive to youth development.

Pippinu, Provided they are provided with a decent education as well. Cheers dd.

To me, the NYL can only be of benefit if you've got lots of 16 and 17 year olds coming through it as their first taste of "senior" football. If it's full of 19 and 20 year olds, I don't see any benefit whasoever.

Perspective is a great thing. Something I mentioned on the Flog, which Baan has also said is this: The 08 Olyroos have had the hardest road to professionalism of any Australian players in recent memory. Whilst the NSL was a flawed load of bollocks that we are all better off without, it provided a seamless transition from promising teenager professional footballer. Look at the list of the current Socceroos and then at the ages they were blooded in the NSL - all in their teens. When the 08 Olyroos were just at the stage of being blooded in the NSL, the NSL was shut down and players either had to take their chances overseas or play state league. Trying to win your first professional contract in another country without a local support network is possibly the hardest thing to do in professional football. State league is amatuer and is no substitute for being paid properly to play. Effectively, the olympians are 2 years behind where they might have been, had there been a professional competition in Australia for them to play in when they were 17 - 20 years old. Unfortunately, they are the real sacrificial lambs of the revolution. But when the Craig Fosters of the world wonder why the Olyroos weren't as good as the teams he played in were, someone should ask Craig (who's first professional contract was for Sydney United aged 19) whether he would have fancied the invidious choices that the 08 Olyroos were faced with at the start of their careers, and how he thinks he would have fared overseas without the opportunity to learn the trade in Australia at United, Sunshine, Bonnyrigg etc. There is a happy ending though: The A-League, the NYL and the brilliant environment that young players now have to develop in this country. The next Olyroos will have been in a professional competitive environment ever since they decided to turn pro, and some of them will already be superstars. One might also comment (without defending Arnold who made undoubted selection errors) that coaching them will also be somewhat an easier task. Cheers md.

Take 4-8 years to match countries who like Ivory Coast who are equally languishing in world football as much as Australia and nigeria who perhaps are one step above australia but aren't world class isn't that optimistic. Although to match them in a technical level in 4-8 years would still be a great achievement